THE ROYAL MAIL STEAMER "ZEALANDIA."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 96, 10 April 1876, Page 4

T HE ROYAL MAIL STEAMER "ZEALANDIA."

t ; (Froin Sydney 2 own and Country) Tne Royal Mails,s. Zealandia was built oh the Clyde by the celebrated builders, John Elder & Co., specially for the Australian and San Francisco mail service. The passenger accommodation and internal deck arrangements f were. designed by Mr H. H. Hall of tbis city. The engines were selected by him, and designed by Mr Jamieson, of Elder & Co. The efficiency of the Zealandia's sea-going qualities have been thoroughly proved by her late voyage from. Plymouth to Melbourne, in tne'u'nprecedented time of 43 days 14 hours, and the repbrtß of her passengers prove .her accommodation to be of the first order, and thoroughly adapted for 'tbe~service she was built to perform. -Vessels of this class, employed in tbe Californian mail service, running in connection with tha White Star Line from 'New York, will make this the popular route to Europe and America, , doing<*away* entirely with the inconvenienceof rough seas and bad ventilation so much dreaded by voyagers. Tb^e /Zealandia's speed on tbis her maiden passage has stamped her as a vessel of. no ordinary power ; and although no extra pressure was brought to bear, the run to Port Phillip wbb accomplished in the wonderfully Bhort space of time above indicated. Io her appearance outside she at once attracts attention. Her lines appear perfection, and one can hardly conceive anything finer, even in a clipper yacht. This noble ship is 376 feet long, 38 ft beam, and 28 ft depth of bold. She is fitted with four masts, being square rigged onjrthe two forward masts. On deck and below, many improvements have been- 'carried out comparative with other steamers. A spacious poop, which is gained from tbe main deck, extends in-ffr.bhtof the funnel nearly to tbe " house," in which the steering apparatus is placed under cover, almoßt at the bow of the ship. In the latitudes which, the Zealandia will bave to traverse, such an elevated and commodious space will frrm a splendid promenade. Immediately under this, on each side of a central corridor, there is a series of deck staterooms, each containing a bed, a coucb, and tbe requisite accommodation for washing aod dressing. Being flush with tbe deck, these' will form very comfortable sleeping and sitting apartments. Descending by another staircase to the grand saloon, it is found to be very tastefully and. appropriately decorated. The main feature 'and absolute novelty, however, is the large acd lofty central skylight, which ascends in a somewhat pyramidal form to a great height, and which imparts an idea of light and air rarely, if ever, found on board the most luxuriously appointed vessels. A careful* inspection shows everywhere a very liberal provision for the wants of passengers.' The arangements for cooking are very complete, and in sanitary matters tbe bathrooms and lavatories are all that could be desired. Her passenger accommodation is equal to the berthing of 164 in the saloon, from 24 to 30 in the second cabin, and from 85-to 100 in the third cabin or steerage. Considering the enormous' power requisite to drive such a vessel through the water, the engine-room does not occupy bo much space as might be expected ; but the 'machinery, though massive, is compactly arranged, and hence tbe saving of room. The engines are compound, of 2,400 horse-power indicated. They are direct-acting, surface condensing, and have three cylinders, one high pressure, and two low pressure, the former being 45in, and tbe latter 62 inches each, with a 4ft 3in stroke. Tbe three cylinders have three holders on the crank shafts, which gives the vessel a - very smooth and equable motion. There are two immense boilers, with six furnaces to each, .and. the stoke-hole is well ventilated. -The screw in four-bladed, and 17ftiq. diameter, 25ft pitcb; number of revolutions at full speed, 65. Steam is in 'great request on board, and there are'a' dozen or more separate little engines for various purposes. The steering ( ia- done by hydraulic gear. The steamer; is 'amply supplied witb boats, &c, for saving life and property in case of accident. A short description of the route may not be uninteresting to our readers. Tbe steamers leave Sydney every fourth ..Saturday at 6 o'clock p.m. After the first twenty-four hours you will experience calm and delightful weather during the voyage to Kandavau, Fiji, which is reached in six days and a half. The stay at Kandavau is twenty-four hours. The vessel at this point is hardly anchored before it is surrounded by native boats, bringing off for Bale bananas, plantains, pineapples, melons, shells, &c. Passengers can here amuse themselves by visiting the shore to admire the scenery, which at this point ia perfectly beautiful, and well repays the passenger's trouble. From this port the steamer goes direct to Honolulu, passing en route numerous Braall islandß, the passage occupying ten days fourteen hours. On arrival at Honolulu the ship goes alongside the Company's wharf, and all passengers can'av-ail themselves during the twenty four hours' stay of tbe opportunity to visit tbe places of interest, every convenience being at hand for the cone- ' fort of visitors, who may ride on horseback or in carriages. Honolulu boasts of an excellent hotel, and many travellers avail themselves of the privilege given by the Company to remain over twenty-eight I days, until the arrival of the next |

steamer, thereby allowing time to visit the volcaaoes and other objects of beauty and interest for which the Hawiian Islands are ao celebrated. The expression of all visiting Honolulu is, " What a lovely spot, what generous people." ; From Honolulu to San Francisco consumes' 8 days. After passing through the "Golden Gate" you enter into a broad bay, having a fine view of tbe city of San Francisco on your right, and of Oakland on your left. In n few minutes you are, alongside the Company's wharf, which is enclosed from one end to the other, and here the most perfect arrangements for the convenience of passengers are made, such vehicles only being admitted within the enclosure as the requirements of the passengers demand. There are private coaches for all the different hotels. San Francisco can justly be proud of ber hotels, namely, the Palace, Grand, Lick House, Cosmopolitan, Occidental, Russ House, and others too numerous to mention. The charge at these hotels, inoluding everything, is from 3 dollars to 4£ dollars per day. A week can be very pleasantly spent in visiting the many places of interest [to the Australian traveller. In going east, you leave Oakland at B'3o a.m. daily. Through paesengers are supposed to hold tickets covering the transit by rail, and care at this point should be taken to secure your sleeping berth to Ogden, the terminus of tbe Central Pacific Railroad, where you take the cars of the Union Pacific Railroad to Omaha, taking care to secure your berth immediately on your arrival at Ogden.. From Omaha you take tbe cars to Chicago, having four different lines to choose from. The cost of a double berth from San Francisco to New York, or Philadelphia, is 22 dollars. Taking your sleeping berths from point to point enables tbe traveller to stop over at the many cities the route passes through to visit the different points of interest, wbich are too numerous to mention here, but wbich are pointed out in tbe traveller's guides to be purchased everywhere throughout America. Being en route, Niagara is sure to be visited, and after passing a week here, by taking the cars for Albany, New York, you can take tbe celebrated Hudson River steamers for New York city, passing on your way the Military Academy of West Point and getting a view of tbe palasides of the Hudson, the finest scenery in America. Steamers leave New York for Europe daily, but tbe best l : nes leave on Saturday (White Star and Inman); Wednesday (Cunard) for Liverpool, Queenstown, Glasgow. The arrangements made by tbe Pacific Mail S.S. Co. with the R. R. of tbe United States are such that every attention is given to passengers, and the through time from San Francisco to New York can be accomplished in seven days, thereby makiug the voyage from Sydney to Liverpool in from 43 to 45 days, or you may remain in tbe United States six months. The people of the Australian and New Zealand colonies have now reason to hope that their Californian service will be carried on in the same spirited manner in whioh tbe company bave commenced. The sister ship to the Zealandia, the Australia is built exactly on tbe same model, and is of the same dimensions throughout. It is difficult to distinguish one from the other.